Weatherproof lamp-socket.



' H. T. HOOHHAUSEN. WEATHERPROOF LAMP SOCKET.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 25,1

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Patented May 18, 1909.

' HERMAN T. HOUHHAUSEN, OF BROOKLYN NEW YORK.

WEATIIERPROOF LAME-SOCICET.

Specification of Letters Patent. v

Patented May 18, 1909.

Application filed July 25, 1907. Serial No. 385,420.

To all whom it may concern: I

"Be it known that I, HERMAN T. Hooli- HAUSEN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Neatherproof Lamp-Sockets, of which the following is a s ecification.

The object o the invention is to produce an article of the character described having features of novelty and advantage.

In the drawin s'Figure 1 is a central" vertical section i lustrating' my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the top of the socket. Fig. 3 is an end view of the petticoat. Fig. 4 is a general side elevation of the device. Fig. 5 is an insideview of the socket.

Referring to the drawings (t denotes the I socket of usual interior construction, having the shell contact a and the central contact M. This socket part is preferably made of orcelain or other insulating material. n the rear face of the socket four ratchet steps b b" b I) are formed, two of them I) b, lying opposite one another, being faced with copper or other conducting material and connected together by a bridge piece a) the steps b I) also he opposite to each other and are formed of the insulating material of which the socket is made." A stud cl extends from the central contact within the socket through the rear tioned a cross arm (i having a central open-- ing adapted to fit over the washer d and insulated from all other metal within the recess by the material of which the socket is composed. For better insulation, the portion of the petticoat immediately surrounding the cross arm (Z is slightly raised at 6 Screws x pass from the outside of the petticoat through the ends of the cross arm d and into the ends of the cross-piece 91, thus providing a means for mounting the socket in the petticoat. Two spring detents f f are mounted in the recess in the petticoat and cooperate with the ratchet steps on the rear of the socket to provide a changeable contact. These spring detents are connected by a semi-circular strip f of conducting material and one of the line wires, as g, is secured in contact with this semi-circular strip as at g,- the other line wire 9 is secured in contact with the cross arm (1 as at 9 The ends of the line wires 9 and g may be secured in any manner at the points 9 g as by soldering directly to the strip and cross arm as shown in Fig. 3. This petticoat is made of insulating material and projects down around the socket for a greater part of its length, flaring outwardly at its edge so that any moisture which collects and condenses willdrip down from the edge of the petticoat and be carried away from the thereoi. 7 V

' An incandescent light, indicated in outline at Z, is secured in place in the socket in the usual manner. By turning thesocket the current can be turned on or off as the spring detents rest on the copper faced steps b b or the insulated steps b b on'tlIe rear'of the socket. This socket is designed for use in cold storageplants, breweries, abattoirs and like places, Where incandescent lights are needed. For various reasons lights in such places cannot well be regulated from switches located outside of the room and it is necessary in order to comply with the insurance requirements that these light fixtures shall be thoroughly protected from moisture.

By the use of this invention an entire room or floor can be wired and provided with lights and each li ht is controlled independentl of socket and from the metallic operating parts each other i ht, can be turned on and o 'jat pleasure, an the workin parts are entirelytral contact through the rear wall ofthe socket, a cross piecerotatably secured to said stud, a washer fixedly secured to said stud next to said cross piece, a petticoat extending around said socket and'having a recess in which the rear end of said socket is located, means passing through the wall of said pettif coat and engaging the ends of said cross piece to connect sai socket rotatably to said petticoat, one'line wire being in electrical connection with the cross piece to afford permanent connection with said central contact, conducting and non-conducting surfaces alternately arranged at the rear of said socket, spring detents mounted in the recess of the petticoat' and cooperating with said surfaces to form a make-and-break device.

2. In an article of the character described a lamp socket having a shell contact and central co'n'tact, a stud extending from said central contact through the rear wall of the said petticoat and said cross arm and engagingthe-ends of said cross piece to connect said socket rotatably to said petticoat and said cross arm to said cross piece, one line Wire being in electrical connection with said cross 1 arm to afford permanent connection with said central contact, conducting and,

non-conducting surfaces alternately arranged at the rear of said socket, and spring 'detents mounted in the recess of the petticoat and cooperating with said surfaces to form a make and break device.

3. In an article of the character described a lamp socket having a shell contact and cen tral contact, a stud extending from said central contact through the rear wall of the socket, a cross piece rotatably secured to said stud, a petticoat of insulating material having a recess adapted to receive said socket, a cross arm secured in said recess, means for securing the socket rotatably in said petticoat, one line wire in electrical connection with said stud through the cross piece and arm, conducting and non-conducting surfaces alternately arranged at the rear of said socket, spring detents mounted in the recess of the petticoat and connected by a conductor plate, the other line wire in electrical connection with said plate, said detefits" cooperating with said surfaces to form a make and break device, and insulating material integral with the petticoat and arranged between said contact members within the re CGSS.

, In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 

